Kozí hřbety is a sharp, narrow ridge in the Krkonoše (Giant Mountains) that rewards those willing to make the climb with one of the finest panoramas in the Czech Sudetes. Rising above the valleys of the White Elbe and Svatý Petr stream, this underrated summit sits just a few kilometres from the popular resort of Špindlerův Mlýn.
The ridge stretches roughly 3 kilometres westward from Luční hora. Its crest is strikingly narrow, with steep slopes plunging into the valleys on both the northern and southern sides. Higher sections are blanketed in mountain pine, with rocky outcrops pushing through here and there, and the southern flanks are dotted with extensive boulder fields. The viewpoint named Krakonoš — the local name for the spirit of the Giant Mountains — sits at 1422 m a.s.l. and offers views well worth the effort. In autumn the contrast between golden dwarf pine and misty valleys is stunning; in winter the northern slopes can be avalanche-prone, so caution is advised off-season.
How to reach the summitThe German name for this ridge is Ziegenrücken — literally 'Goat's Back' — a fitting description for this narrow, rocky spine rising above the valleys. The highest peak of the Giant Mountains, Sněžka, lies only 5.5 kilometres to the east.